Ottawa Bolsters Back Line With Kyle Venter

With the opening of training camp days away, Ottawa Fury FC bolstered its back line on Thursday with the signing of former LA Galaxy defender Kyle Venter, pending ITC approval.

“Bringing in Kyle gives us much-needed depth at central defense and his ability to play on the right or left side will be important for us,” Fury FC head coach and GM Paul Dalglish said. “This carries on our trend of signing younger, motivated players who are coming here because they want to play soccer in Ottawa.”

Venter, 24, was selected by the LA Galaxy in the second round of the 2014 MLS SuperDraft (23rd overall). The Aurora, Colorado, native featured in 11 games for USL PDL side Real Colorado Foxes in 2012, scoring one goal. In 2014, the Galaxy loaned Venter to its USL Pro affiliate where the 6-foot-3 defender scored once in nine appearances for LA Galaxy II. After moving from Los Angeles to Tulsa, Venter had a career year in 2015, scoring three goals in 24 appearances for the Roughnecks.

Venter starred for the University of New Mexico Lobos, starting 85 of 86 of the team's matches during his four-year collegiate career, scoring eight goals and four assists. He was named the Conference USA MVP and defensive player of the year in his final year at New Mexico.